Author: Freelance Melt

Spice things up this Thanksgiving with these Thanksgiving wine cocktail recipes. 

Thanksgiving mulled wine

Ingredients: 

• 1 quart pomegranate juice
• 1 750 ml bottle fruity red wine, such as Zinfandel
• 2 cinnamon sticks, 2 1/2 in long apiece
• 6 cardamom pods
• ¼ cup honey

Instructions: 

Mix ingredients in a slow cooker then cover. 

Cook for 1 hour on high or 2 hours on low. 

Keep warm on low heat for up to 4 hours.

Thanksgiving sangria

Ingredients:

• 3 cups pomegranate juice
• 5 (3″) cinnamon sticks
• ½ teaspoon whole allspice
• 1 (4″) piece peeled fresh ginger, thinly sliced (about ¾ cup), divided
• 1 (750-ml) bottle red wine
• 1 Bartlett pear, quartered lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise
• ½ cup pomegranate seeds
• ½ cup spiced rum
• 1 (750-ml) bottle pear or apple sparkling cider

Instructions: 

Cook pomegranate juice, cinnamon, allspice, and ⅓ of the ginger in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Simmer for 10 minutes, then remove from heat and let steep for 10 minutes.

Strain. Add remaining ingredients besides cider. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours. Top with cider. 

Rosé sangria

Ingredients: 

• 1 750 ml bottle Fleurs de Prairie rosé
• ¼ cup brandy
• ¼ cup triple sec
• 1 cup orange juice
• ¼ cup simple syrup 
• Orange slice
• Lemon slice
• Lime slice
• Apple slices
• Thyme

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients. 

Cover and refrigerate for 8-24 hours.

Strain garnishes and fruit, then add fresh when serving

It’s that time again! Thanksgiving is here and we’re gearing up for a fantastic feast. But what about the wine? That’s where we come in! Check out our recommended wine pairing for Thanksgiving sides. 

Appetizers

Whether you’re having charcuterie, a salad course, or a spread of dips, some bubbles will add a good bit of excitement to your dinner. Plus, toasting some champagne is a great way to get the Thanksgiving party started. Our recommendation? Neyah Sparkling wine. 

Stuffing

Especially if you’re making a sausage stuffing, a Merlot like Skyfall will pair perfectly. 

Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes, especially with a maple glaze or marshmallow topping pairs well with a rich chardonnay. 

Pumpkin pie

Now for the sweet stuff! Pumpkin pie pairs perfectly with some port (say that five times fast!). Tough to say, but easy to see why it’s a great pairing. 

Corn

Because of corn’s sweetness, it pairs well with a chardonnay or a rich viognier. 

Cranberries 

Whether it’s cranberry sauce from a can or a homemade cranberry chutney, these flavors pair perfectly with a Zinfandel such as Goldschmidt Vineyards’ Fidelity Zinfandel. 

Apple pie

A sweet Riesling like Trimbach goes perfectly with a warm slice of apple pie.

Shopping for the beer lover in your life? Use our gift guide for beer enthusiasts and you’ll be on everyone’s nice list.

An insulated bottle cooler

 

Give the gift of a cold beer! 

A personal growler

So they can keep beer fresh for weeks. 

A personalized beer mug

Make all their bartending dreams come true. 

Beer chilling coasters

Really, what more could a beer lover ask for? 

A beer caddy 

 

It’s stylish, functional (it even includes a bottle opener!), and easy to carry.

Get all the boos without the booze! Check out these spooky mocktails for Halloween—no alcohol required.

Caramel Apple Mocktail 

Ingredients:

2 oz warm caramel sauce

7 oz apple cider

7 oz ginger beer 

Cinnamon stick and apple slice for garnish

Instructions: 

Pour the warm caramel into your glass, then top with apple cider and ginger beer.

Stir. 

Garnish with cinnamon stick and apple slice. 

Bonus: Use some caramel sauce and colored sugar for the rim! 

Dip the rim of the glass in the sauce, then dip it in the demerara sugar.

Spooky mocktail punch

Recipe source and more details

Ingredients:

425g can lychees

225g jar cocktail cherries

15 raisins

1 liter carton blueberry, blackberry, or purple grape juice, chilled

1 liter carton cherry or cranberry juice, chilled

1 liter sparkling water, chilled

*You’ll also need disposable gloves 

Instructions:

Rinse the disposable gloves and fill each with water. Tie a knot in the top of each as you would a balloon, or use a tight bag clip to hold the opening closed. Freeze overnight.

Drain the lychees and cocktail cherries, saving the juices separately. Push a raisin into one end of each cherry, then push the cherries into the lychees to make “eyeballs.”

Pour all of the juices, plus the reserved lychee and cherry juices, into a large bowl with the “eyeballs.” Carefully peel the gloves from the ice hands, add to the punch, then top up with the sparkling water.

Hocus Pocus Mocktail

Ingredients:

2 cups orange juice

1 cup sparkling water or tonic of your choice 

Juice of 1 lemon

¼ cup honey

2 drops red food coloring

5 drops yellow food coloring 

Instructions:

In a medium saucepan, bring the orange juice, lemon juice, and honey to a boil.

Reduce to a simmer and add food coloring. 

Simmer for 2-3 minutes then remove from heat. 

Pour mixture into spooky glasses of your choice and top with sparkling water or tonic.